House approves 2012 intel bill after Gitmo language struck

The House approved intelligence legislation on Friday after reaching a deal on language affecting detainees at Guantánamo Bay.

Under the deal, Republicans agreed to strip language that would have imposed requirements on the administration to provide more information about transfers of detainees. The White House opposed that language, which had prompted a veto threat from President Obama. 

The House approved the measure, minus that language, in a 381-14 vote, a reflection of the broad bipartisan support for the measure heard during Friday morning debate. With House passage of the amended bill, the White House can presumably support it, though it still needs to be approved by the Senate.

The Obama administration had opposed Sections 307 and 309 of the bill, which would have required the director of National Intelligence to provide information about terrorist detainees and the possible transfer of those detainees. The administration also opposed Section 421, which would have required nominations to serve as director of National Intelligence to be confirmed by the Senate.

Both parties agreed to take out these provisions, and accepted a manager’s amendment reflecting that agreement by voice vote. Democrats said removing those sections would let them support the bill.

{mosads}”If these provisions can be successfully eliminated, I will support this bill and look forward to seeing it become law,” said House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Committee ranking member Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.).

The bill authorizes FY 2012 appropriations for the CIA, Defense Department, Defense Intelligence Agency and other intelligence entities. It also requires, if signed into law, these entities to submit a classified report to Congress describing the operation that led to the death of 9/11 terrorist Osama bin Laden.

This would include “a description of the events leading up to the discovery of the location of Osama bin Laden, the planning and execution of the raid, and the results of the intelligence gained from the raid.”

“[I]t is vitally important that the United States memorialize all the events that led to the raid so that future generations will have an official record of the events that transpired before, during, and as a result of the operation,” the bill states. “[P]reserving this history now will allow the United States to have an accurate account of the events while those that participated in the events are still serving in the government.”

Aside from the manager’s amendment, two other amendments were agreed to by voice vote. One was from Rep. Bill Keating (D-Mass.) expressing the sense of Congress that intelligence agencies should be encouraged to work to prevent acts of terrorism against the U.S. consistent with the U.S. Constitution.

The other was from Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.), which would create a council of outside counterterrorism experts to advise the director of National Intelligence.

By a 397-0 vote, members accepted an amendment from Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) that would require the intel director to coordinate a strategy for collecting intelligence in Pakistan and Afghanistan related to the use of improvised explosive devices.

And by a 303-92 vote, the House accepted a proposal from Rep. John Carney (D-Del.) to express the sense of Congress that rail transportation security must be a priority for the intelligence community.

Four other amendments that had been scheduled consideration were not brought up.